Texas Convention Report - Party leadership sends a spy to Ron Paul gathering

[Francisco Suarez]

Hi everyone - Earlier this evening I attended the Meet and Greet rally for Ron Paul delegates and other supporters of the lawsuit against the Republican Party of Texas to force them to resolve credentials disputes and seat our duly elected delegates. The event's organizers - Debra Medina and www.fairconvention.org - put on an informative session to map out strategies for the convention, which begins tomorrow at 1 PM.

The event was very well attended. It had about 200 people by my rough estimation, including one spy sent by Tina Benkiser of the Texas GOP (which I'll get to shortly). But the main topic of the day was the ongoing lawsuit against the GOP that forces them to comply with the Texas Election laws as they conduct the business. It is crucial that this lawsuit succeeds because it determines the time and order that the convention chairman is elected, and who gets to vote in that election due to numerous credentials disputes where the party has disenfranchised Paul delegates and conspired to appoint non-Paul delegates who were not eligible to serve at the convention in their place.

The rally kicked off with Debra Medina, organizer of the lawsuit, announcing some very good news. Despite a brief setback on Monday when the judge dismissed the suit (for completely illegal reasons, by the way), the Appeals Court had only moments earlier announced that it has decided to take the case up for an expedited hearing tomorrow. This means the lawsuit is back on and it has a good chance of producing a ruling tomorrow, contrary to what Tina Benkiser has been dishonestly telling convention delegates.

After Medina, attorney Gary Polland who is handling the case spoke. He updated everyone on the technical parts of the lawsuit and said we can probably expect a ruling late tomorrow afternoon. If the court rules that the case must proceed it will be a definite victory for the right side. Polland also pointed out that though the suit is supported by many Ron Paul delegates, it also has supporters from other campaigns who all agree on one thing: the party must follow the rule of law and treat all delegates fairly regardless of their campaigns. Polland himself is a McCain delegate, and Tim Lambert is a Huckabee delegate. So everyone please remember this: we have many allies in other camps who agree we are being unfairly treated, and we should do everything to work with them because they too are fed up with Benkiser and the corrupt people who run things.

Next the crowd heard from Robert Johnson, a parliamentary expert. He briefed everyone on how motions are made from the floor when the party bosses break the rules. But his central point was this: the single most important thing that happens on the floor is the selection of the convention permanent chairman. This person controls how the rules are interpreted and we MUST have a fair and honest chairman to have a fighting chance. If Tina Benkiser remains as convention chair we will not get a fair shake on anything. That is why the suit must succeed and why we must do everything we can to get a fair, neutral, and honest party for permanent chairman.

The name they gave of the guy to support is Steve Hollerin (sp?), who is running for convention chair as a neutral party. Many of the delegates at this event are also supporting Paul Perry for Party Chairman and Medina for Party Vice Chairman because of the need to get rid of the corrupt Benkiser regime.

As I said, the event was very well attended and had heavy media coverage. There are t-shirts being sold to support the lawsuit for only $5, so everyone should get one tomorrow and wear them proudly. If not that, at least get yourself a sticker. And come prepared for a fight because it's going to be a long, hard fought battle yet.

Now, as promised....

<b>==THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SPY==</b>

The rally had about 200 people at it and most of them were allies. There was one exception in the crowd though. She's a lady named Kathy Haigler and she's one of the most rabid Ron Paul haters in Texas. She's also a top Benkiser Lieutenant and a Republican Party official for Senate District number 11.

Many of you already know of this lady because she was a major backer of Chris Peden's failed attempt to unseat Ron Paul in march. She was featured prominently in several stories about all the vile hatred she spewed at Paul:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/woods/woods85.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/019503.html

http://countyseat.blogspot.com/2007/11/paulian-platform-lessons-for-denny-and.html

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/38965

Haigler has hated Ron Paul for years, and she also blames the current lawsuit on a Ron Paul conspiracy and has said so on her personal blog here.
You can easily identify her because she is a large, rotund woman who rides around on an electric scooter chair. Picture of her:

I knew she would be doing Tina Benkiser's bidding this weekend to harass and disenfranchise Ron Paul delegates. I did not think she would be so brazen to show up in the middle of our own rallies and spy on us.

Yet shortly before the rally started Haigler came driving up on her scooter. She parked near the back of the crowd so as not to draw any attention to herself, and she pretended to listen in support of all the speakers.

I noticed her and watched her spying on the gathering and scribbling down notes about everything that was said - probably to take back to Benkiser. Knowing her past animosity to anything Ron Paul does, I knew she was there with dishonest intentions so I snapped this photo of her as proof.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2033314910103625016RhWoIB

So ATTENTION ALL RON PAUL DELEGATES: Be on the lookout for this lady at the convention. She isn't hard to miss, but she is a spy for Tina Benkiser and she is actively sneaking into Ron Paul events to gain information about our convention strategies. Anything you say to her or do around her will be reported back to the party leadership and be used to exclude and disenfranchise our delegates. If you see her, be careful about what you say and alert other Ron Paul supporters to her presence. Remember the old slogan - loose lips sink ships. And keep it in mind whenever you see this lady or any other know Benkiser associate.

 

[Paulite]

shes disgusting.

 

[newyearsrevolution08]

as written in the other post,

pull the plug on her cart next time

get video of her and ask her questions

make it not so fun to do next time

 

[Francisco Suarez]

Pass the word on to all the delegates you know. They need to be on the lookout for this woman because she is going to our events with an intent to harm us.

If spotted, she needs to be asked to leave immediately. She is not welcome among us.

 

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

Inner beauty reflected on the outside, I see. At least she's easy to spot.

 

[asgardshill]

I have to say that Tina Benkiser doesn't know squat about "spying" if she sent this very easily identifiable individual to the meeting. The best spies are people who blend in - you'd have to see their picture a thousand times before you could pick out even one identifying feature. Good espionage agents are that bland and anonymous and unmemorable.

And I have to wonder: If it was so apparent who she was and who sent her, then why wasn't she asked to leave? WAS she asked to leave? This was a private meeting, and the organizers would certainly have been within their rights to boot her ample ass out the door.

And finally, I also have to wonder if this person was sent so she WOULD be identified, hoping that the organizers would fixate on her and miss the mousy quiet little Wally Cox-looking man sitting in the back row dutifully taking notes for Tina Benkiser.

 

[american.swan]

bump

 

[Francisco Suarez]

And finally, I also have to wonder if this person was sent so she WOULD be identified, hoping that the organizers would fixate on her and miss the mousy quiet little Wally Cox-looking man sitting in the back row dutifully taking notes for Tina Benkiser.

You're giving Tina Benkiser way too much credit if you think she's that smart. Tina is many things, but intelligent is not among them. Remember - she's the same lady who didn't even know what she was being sued about the other day when the media asked for her comments after the first judge ruled against her.

Benkiser has a small group of henchmen who do this kind of thing at every convention. Haigler is one of them. Jeff Fisher is another. Also the party office staff like Hans Klinger. There's also a creepy guy named Mark Reiff who hangs around Benkiser's Vice Chairman Robin Armstrong and does much of the same thing for him. And they all have one thing in common: they hate Ron Paul.

 

[RideTheDirt]

Reminds me of the bitch from The Texas Chainsaw massacre.

 

[Joseph Hart]

So she is the reason for the food shortage? im lost.

 

[Nirvikalpa]

She's on Facebook too.... and one of her two friends is a Legistative Assistant...

hmm.

 

[asgardshill]

You're giving Tina Benkiser way too much credit if you think she's that smart. Tina is many things, but intelligent is not among them. Remember - she's the same lady who didn't even know what she was being sued about the other day when the media asked for her comments after the first judge ruled against her.

I've found that its way better and far safer to overestimate somebody's intelligence than to underestimate it. Benkiser might be the dumbest thing walking around on two legs today, but she holds a certain amount of power. That makes her dangerous because she might have motivated intelligent people to work for her, and the intelligent ARE dangerous.

Benkiser has a small group of henchmen who do this kind of thing at every convention. Haigler is one of them. Jeff Fisher is another. Also the party office staff like Hans Klinger. There's also a creepy guy named Mark Reiff who hangs around Benkiser's Vice Chairman Robin Armstrong and does much of the same thing for him. And they all have one thing in common: they hate Ron Paul.

Sounds like a group of people whose names and photos need to be on a "DO NOT ADMIT" list posted at the front door and circulated amongst the attendees. Or at the very least, identify them by name, bracket them with about 1200 watts worth of follow spotlight, publically call them out during the opening remarks, and watch them scurry away like cockroaches.

Do you have any insight into why Kathy Haigler wasn't given her walking papers at this private meeting? If it was a case of "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer", that would be perfectly understandable.

 

[Lord Xar]

why do most of those ron paul haters you mentioned all seem to have certain surnames that sound, well.. uhmm. just sound like.. nevermind.

 

[SteveMartin]

Polland himself is a McCain delegate

Not a chance this will succeed. Get smart people!

 

[Fyretrohl]

Where any campaign secrets being shared? Any strategies that are not publically known? Have we not had folks inside meetings that the media would say is for the 'other side'? Besides, we want to show that we are open and welcoming.

 

[SnappleLlama]

Is she the reason why I haven't been able to find Oreos in my supermarket for the past few months?

 

[Fyretrohl]

OKay folks...I suppose most of us are adults. Can we act it? Comments like the ones going on are part of the reason people look down at ALL Ron Paul supporters.

 

[austin356]

Does nobody else find this incredibly funny?

If this fat old woman on an electric scooter is our enemies' best weapon - hell we dont have as hard of a fight as i previously thought.

 

[kylejack]

Pass the word on to all the delegates you know. They need to be on the lookout for this woman because she is going to our events with an intent to harm us.

If spotted, she needs to be asked to leave immediately. She is not welcome among us.

You can't throw her out of a public park, man.

 

[ronpaulhawaii]

From my inbox:

[empadded]

Kathy Haigler wrote:

Houston, we have a problem:

In less than 24 hours, our grassroots will begin organizing for our upcoming state convention. At the same time, we are dealing with a very small group that has viciously attacked the Party and is trying to overthrow the Rules that our grassroots passed and have been using for years – all because they want to create enough chaos to take over the Party.

In less than 24 hours, one temporary committee will begin to discuss and debate the thousands of resolutions that have risen up through our Party process and that will eventually become our Party’s Platform. And, it is our winning conservative Platform that has made Texas a conservative standard bearer for the nation. It is our winning conservative Platform that has allowed our Party to be THE party that represents the values of the vast majority of Texans.

In less than 24 hours, another temporary committee will begin to review the Rules that will govern our Party for the next couple of years. It is our Rules that have empowered the grassroots of this great State and made it the most grassroots-oriented state in the nation. It is our Rules that have allowed those who work within our Party and who make it successful to be effectively involved at every level in our State Party. It is our Rules that have leveled the playing field so that anyone who wants to be productive can participate in our process.
Unfortunately, with blatant disregard for the Party or its principles, a very small group of misguided people who have continually failed in convincing others to join them or follow their lead are trying to disenfranchise the very grassroots that they claim to represent by running to the courts. In a deliberate act of judicial activism, this group and their lawyer went court shopping until they found an unelected visiting judge who would sign an order telling the grassroots of our Party how to conduct our convention. By the way, Republicans have been following applicable law and our Rules for decades without incident, thank you very much.

We believe that the judge not only exceeded the court’s authority, but he never gave us an opportunity to address him or set the record straight before he signed the order. In fact, we have not even received a copy of the signed order, but had to find it on the plaintiff’s website. Oh, and we did get to read about it after this group had a press conference so that their lawyer could boast and get his picture in the paper.

If you think this is harsh and wonder why they are attacking our Rules in court and in the liberal press rather than addressing them at the convention or asking the Legislature to make changes in the law, you should hear what those who support this militant group say to each other. One said, “if you have chance of making a difference. You are going to have to use ‘stealth.’ The same way Militias won the first Revolution. If you fight by their rules, you’ll lose the battles, and the war.”

If you wonder about the intentions of these folks, their own words tell the story. An individual closed one of their meetings with the following, “Democrats, anarchists, libertarians, everyone who is willing to help us wreak havoc is invited to join.” Another said, “Either way you choose to represent yourself at the Convention, it would probably be a good idea that everyone agree on the ground rules of conduct. Be ethical or Lie, Lie, Lie!!”

And they wonder why we question their actions and motives. As for me, I believe in our conservative principles, in our real grassroots Republicans, and in the process that we have faithfully and legally followed for decades. The dedication of our people – those who sacrifice their time, talent and treasure to work for a better Texas and America – is what makes our Party successful, not those who show up occasionally, or for the first time, to throw stones and spew venom.

Our grassroots have a word for those folks: you cannot intimidate or deceive us. You will not take us off our winning strategy to promote true conservative principles. We will have a convention where we can debate, discuss, agree or disagree, and still love each other and this country enough to come together in unity. We’re even going to love you along the way. Texas Republicans are strong, and your attempted mutiny will fail.

IMHO - Stealth sux! It has just given people like this ammo against us. Peaceful revolutions are won by making friends and influencing people, not by making enemies and deceiving them.